Automotive intelligence company ECARX Holdings (Nasdaq: ECX) has signed a strategic framework agreement with U.S. autonomous-vehicle developer May Mobility to build and scale a next-generation robotaxi fleet. ECARX announced the tie-up on May 19, 2026; the framework is valued at about $750 million according to ECARX's SEC filing and multiple reports.
A turnkey robotaxi partnership
Under the agreement, ECARX is expected to develop and deliver up to thousands of autonomy-enabled vehicles for May Mobility's next-generation system. As the intended exclusive technology provider, ECARX will supply a custom Level 4 central computing platform paired with its self-developed integrated sensor suite, integrating the autonomy hardware at the factory level rather than retrofitting finished cars. The two companies will jointly select and define a third-party base vehicle, with initial targeted deployment slated to begin next year and commercial scale-up in 2028.
Targeting a 50% cost cut
The partners say a central goal is affordability: they aim to reduce the all-in cost of May Mobility's autonomous vehicles by at least 50% by 2028. Coverage of the deal notes the vehicles and their sensor systems are to be manufactured outside China to comply with U.S. rules on information and communications technology in connected vehicles, and that the solutions are slated for deployment across more than 10,000 of May Mobility's autonomous vehicles. ECARX is backed by Geely founder Li Shufu.
How May Mobility's autonomy works
May Mobility's driving system understands its surroundings through a predictive world model, simulating up to 10 seconds into the future. The reasoning model evaluates multiple competing driving strategies and executes the one best suited to the moment, powering ride-hail services in cities across the United States and Japan.
A turbulent stretch for robotaxis
The deal lands during an eventful period for autonomous ride-hailing. The Robotics Media has tracked Waymo pausing robotaxi service in several cities over flooding and, separately, Waymo halting freeway robotaxi rides amid construction. Automakers are also deepening their software bets, as seen in Stellantis's expanded Qualcomm deal for AI vehicle platforms.
Why it matters
By engineering purpose-built robotaxis from the ground up instead of converting consumer cars, ECARX and May Mobility are betting that vertically integrated hardware can drive the cost of autonomy down to commercially viable levels — a prerequisite for scaling driverless ride-hailing beyond pilot fleets.
Reporting based on coverage from ECARX/PR Newswire, Automotive World, and Globes.